Obama Floats Earlier Health Care Option To Governors

States unhappy with the new federal health care law may be able to create their own version of the overhaul in 2014 — not 2017, as the law currently states. President Barack Obama told a gathering of the nation's governors Monday that he's open to amending the law.

But under the new White House proposal, any state that chooses to design its own plan is still required to fulfill the goals and requirements of the health care overhaul.

"I am not open to re-righting the battles of the last two years," Obama said.

Roughly half of America's states are already suing to overturn the law in its entirety, on the grounds that it is unconstitutional and places a burden on state finances.

From the AP:

The individual state plans would have to cover at least as many residents as the overhaul law. Benefits would have to be equally comprehensive and affordable. And the state plans could not increase the federal deficit.